Order Flowers

Ordering flowers from our site ensures that your order will reach us or the family in a timely manner, and your gesture of support will remain acknowledged in the Book of Memories for future generations. We only work with local florists so we can maintain the sense of urgency and quality of your selections. We thank you for helping to support the family during their time of need, and will fondly remember your kind gesture.

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Pre-Arrange Your Funeral

Are you thinking about pre-planning your funeral? Pre-planning is the best way to choose how you're remembered, to ease the emotional and financial burden on your loved ones, to protect yourself from rising funeral costs, and to let your family know your final wishes.

Order Tribute Gifts

We respect the sensitivity and dignity that comes with ordering tribute gifts from the funeral home. It is for this reason that we have attempted to design our online Sympathy Store with the utmost respect to the family and the deceased. We hope you find this service helpful during your time of need and would welcome any comments or suggestions you might have to help us serve our communities better.

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Daily Grief Support by Email

Grieving doesn't always end with the funeral: subscribe to our free daily grief support email program, designed to help you a little bit every day,
by filling out the form below.

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52 Weekly Tips

Weekly Email Tips to Support a Grieving Friend

It's hard to know what to say when someone experiences loss. Our free weekly newsletter provides insights, quotes and messages on how to help during the first year.

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Cremation

Decomposition of the body in the earth (after burial) is the slow oxidation of the body tissues. Cremation, on the other hand, provides rapid oxidation.

No casket is legally required for cremation, just a simple container, which is strong enough to hold the body. This could be a box of rough boards, pressboard, or heavy cardboard.

Some crematories accept metal caskets; most require the container to be combustible.

Cremation Choices

If the body is cremated:

The remains can be stored by the family

You may take the remains in the simple cardboard box supplied by the crematory and distribute ("scatter") them over the land or water.

The remains can be placed in a niche within a columbarium.

The remains can be buried in the ground in a regular plot or in a smaller cremation plot.

The remains can be entombed in a crypt within a mausoleum.

Why people choose cremation

In the United States, in 1972, only five percent chose cremation. That number had quintupled by 1999, with over 25% choosing cremation. The Cremation Association of North America predicts that by 2010, that figure will rise to 36%. In Canada, the rate is already over 42%; in Great Britain, 71%; and over 98% in Japan.

Those who choose cremation (for themselves or others) often hold the belief that it is better to honor the memory of the person, not the dead body.

Here are some other reasons you might choose cremation:

Cremation is traditional in your family, religious group, or geographical area

You prefer the body to be returned quickly and cleanly to the elements

Many people believe that a cremated body becomes one with nature more quickly

You have environmental concerns

Perhaps you are worried about the use of valuable land for cemetery space, or believe it is wrong to fill the ground with materials that won't erode, such as metal coffins and concrete vaults

You want to keep the costs down

Selecting cremation does not mean, however, that you will have an inexpensive funeral

You might still choose an expensive casket and/or a viewing, and/or decide to have the cremated remains buried in the ground or placed in a columbarium. These choices can bring your costs up to those of a traditional funeral

Decisions you must make if you choose cremation

Who will do the cremation (a funeral home or a firm that specializes in direct cremation)

If you are distributing the remains

Also, ask if there are any firms in your area that specialize in unique ways of distributing the remains, such as a plane to spread them over a mountain, or a ship to scatter them at sea.

Think of places that were especially loved by the deceased, close to home or far away. You can walk in the woods, by a favorite lake, or on the old family farm.

Be sure to ask permission if you want to use private property.

What about using the remains to create new life, by planting a tree? Some survivors choose to mix the remains with the soil in flower beds and rose gardens at home. Every time the roses bloom, you will be reminded of your loved one.

If you decide to do this, however, consider what will happen if, some day, you move away.